County detectives execute search warrants on Chester PD

In this screenshot from a video, officers from the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Unit leave Chester Police headquarters Tuesday afternoon after executing search warrants tied to what is believed to be missing evidence from a police evidence room.

CHESTER — Detectives from the Delaware County Special Investigations Unit descended on Chester police headquarters Tuesday afternoon, apparently executing search warrants tied to a rifle scope that reportedly disappeared for a time from the department’s evidence room.

When pressed, Whelan characterized the situation at this point as “irregularities.”

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According to sources, the probe involves a scope for an AR-10 rifle that was apparently seized as part of an open Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives case in the city. The piece, valued at about $1000, was entered last month as evidence by the custodian as dictated by department protocol, and later found by the custodian to be missing. A report was filed and an internal investigation was ordered, but then halted. Soon afterward, the scope was returned.

Tuesday afternoon, county investigators were seen on video carrying items from city police headquarters. County investigators declined to comment.

Sources said the custodian has one of two keys to the evidence room. The second key is kept in Commissioner Joseph Bail Jr.’s office. Bail was out of town when the incident in question occurred, sources said.

Bail could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

The incident, which was first reported in the Chester Spirit newspaper, has fueled issues among some officers in a department divided by leadership loyalties.